


Taste of Forever

by jaefuck (snowbea)



Category: GOT7, K-pop
Genre: Age Difference, F/M, Unrequited Love, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 16:50:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16857700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowbea/pseuds/jaefuck
Summary: She'd been alone for so long she thought she could forget him, hundreds of years have passed but the thought of him still plagued her. Till she met him...





	1. 01

**Author's Note:**

> Due to the new rules implemented by Tumblr I have begun to move over all of my stories. This might take a while, so please be patient with me. Please feel free to leave feedback or ask questions at my tellonym @jaefuck. I am always open to discussions about my work!

Josalind had been walking this Earth for how long now? 1 B.C.E had been so long ago, now she just used it as a timestamp so she had some sort of time frame when someone asked ‘how old are you?’ after walking the earth for just under two millennia Josalind got used to the pointless questions asked by humans. It was during the 1600′s that she had decided to assimilate - become human in almost every sense of the word. It was hard at first, feeding only when necessary and never more than she absolutely needed. It hurt even more when she moved around - not wanting to watch her friends, people she might have considered family, die off of old age or sickness - she couldn’t, wouldn’t, make the same mistake twice.

Throughout the centuries there was one thing that always drew her in and that was art. If her maker was unsure where she was, all he had to do was find out where the most recent art capital of the world was; and she’d be there. While she wasn’t necessarily a skilled artist when it came to liquid media, working with water paints was something of a hobby that she picked up in the early 1920′s during her time in France. The memory painted a smile on her face as she navigated through the crowd - it was easier now - fitting in. In 2005 when vampires became apart of civilized society the vampire government and the human government worked together to form a worldwide vampire fairness act so that humans and vampires could live in peace. Though she knew the rampant fear of her kind wasn’t without reason, it was more of a courtesy on their part. Vampires didn’t need human cooperation, they’d been living just fine up until some idiot rock star in 1995 outed their entire kind. His maker was forced to attend high court over the issue, many asked why she’d left him unsupervised so quickly after his change as he was only about two years old at the time.

Human nature, she found, hadn’t changed. They still did exactly the same thing they had for the last two millennia and it really stressed her out sometimes. Be born, grow up, get an education (however small or large it may be) get a job, get married, have kids - it was like it was ingrained in their biology. Something she thought they’d grow out of for sure, but they hadn’t. Of course, the changes that had occurred were the ones she liked the most - women weren’t questioned as much if they were without an escort. That bit was nice, going through an era where she’d been assumed a witch or harlot for simply going to the store was quite exhausting.

“Penny for your thoughts?” a low voice spoke from next to her, if she hadn’t heard him from a mile away he might have startled her, but humans had this way of being loud without meaning to. They stomp and breathe heavy - their heart rate increases right before every conversation. Josalind thanked two thousand years of forced social interaction for getting rid of any social anxiety she may have had before.

Slowly turning to look at him her lips curved upwards, “Hm, I feel like you’ll need to give me more than a penny - there is a lot that goes on up here,” she told him tapping her head with a small laugh as she sipped the artificial blood in her wine glass. There was the unmistakable glance to the glass, this usually sent them running in the opposite direction but he wore an expression of pure curiosity. It was then she actually looked at him, he was gorgeous, and fuck he smelled good. If she were going to take a guess he was probably A positive.

Her favorite, but she hadn’t it in years. 

“Then I offer you my undivided attention, you seem to have a lot on your mind and I have to admit…I’m curious,” he murmured as he looked at her, his heart rate had sped up considerably since the realization of what she was, but there was something unmistakeable radiating off of him, it had the similar markings of fear but it was something else.

It was an emotion she had learned a lot about during her younger years. Normally, she’d tell men where to shove it. Josalind knew that there were some men (and woman) with the idea that having sex and being fed off once was an option, and for some vampires that were the case. However, because that she was so old it was difficult for them to part ways with her, something about her as a whole making the bond harder to break. However, something about him spoke to her in a way that felt almost primal. Josalind wasn’t quite sure what it was, she vaguely remembers feeling like this the first time she saw Yixing, her maker. If she had been alive her heart would have been hammering in her chest, he was devastatingly handsome. Something her mind kept reaffirming every time it looked him over without a hint of nonchalance. Perhaps she could entertain him, it’d be nice to taste someone new for a change. Her current group of feeders were busy more now that she’d help them get started on their futures, perhaps this was a good thing.

"I suppose I could clue you in on some of the thoughts,“ Josalind gave him a small smile as she took another drink from her glass, "I was remembering, how it felt to see my maker for the first time,” not many humans understood just how old she was. Though, she felt that just by looking into her eyes they could gain some kind of idea simply by how she held herself. Not one inkling of anxiousness or worry - she’d lived far too long for those to cripple her now.

“What was that like?” Jaebum queried, his curiosity had yet to be sated. She had expected as much, humans were the epitome of curiosity killed the cat. The way his voice lilted “Was it .. scary?”

A small smile curved her gentle features, a chuckle escaping her; the memory was still quite vivid. One of the few human memories she had, the rest of them forged after her death and resurrection. “No, I was in awe. My maker is a very handsome man, even back then he held this authority in his presence.” Her eyes broke from his, for the first time in hundreds of years she’d been the one to look away. Shyness? No, that wasn’t her, denial flooded her as she looked back up to him. “The way you looked at me then, reminded me of what it felt like to be human is all,” she said waving off the thought with a bit of uneasiness.

His eyebrows flew into his hairline, “Really? You’re quite beautiful, you kind of demand attention without even asking for it,” he admitted to her as he nursed his champagne.

“My maker used to say that,” she laughed, this time a genuine one. Her small rendezvous with her maker had been short-lived, at least as far as maker and made goes. A lot of them lived together for hundreds of years, while she had only lasted somewhere around two hundred and fifty years due to her own jealousy and the need to lay claim where it obviously didn’t belong. 

“How old are you?” her curiosity got the best of her, just like it always did. If there was one thing she hadn’t learned in her time after death, she could never curve her tongue. Yixing had tried to himself but it never worked; men of the 5th century thought her brute and honest way that she spoke was blasphemous for a woman who appeared to be so young. Albeit she found their reactions kind of amusing, containing her desire to know more just wasn’t in her nature.

“I’m twenty-one,” he replied to her, undoubtedly his eyes reflecting her own. “I’m an art student from the university, my professor wanted some of my work to be put up here for the charity,” he motioned to the painting on the wall and she nearly gaped but she had considerably more forethought than that.

“It’s beautiful,” Josalind whispered as she looked at his painting on the far right wall, the canvas was pretty large but the quality of the art was astounding, “Do you have a portfolio put together?”

He flushed a little then nodded, “Yes, it’s approved as well, did you want to see it?” he asked her, his voice sounded full of excitement and hope. He knew how important she was to this art gallery, most people who knew anything about art had seen her name fly around textbooks and even pamphlets during charity events.

Josalind nodded her head, “Very much so, do you have it with you?” she approached him having noticed the small binder a while ago but wanting to be polite - not to rush him. However, his take on art was incredibly dark - it mirrored one she’d seen so long ago. A troubled man in a tough situation, heavy depression and he had owned her heart. Brushing aside that last thought as he handed it to her, she slowly flipped through the pages and stopped on the portrait of a faceless woman her body draped in what looked like sheets or robes but behind her was an unsaturated sunset.

“This is phenomenal,” she whispered bringing her eyes to meet his, “do you still have this one?” if he didn’t she’d find out where it went, because she needed it. Her art collection was vast, from many different eras and artists she always got what she wanted especially when it came to art.

Jaebum leaned over to see which one she was referring to and he smiled, “Yeah, I do, it’s hung up in my art room,” he said to her with a small smile.

“How much do you want for it?” she asked him seriously with eager eyes as she searched him for some kind of reaction, she was willing to write him a check right here for it. She’d even come to get it at a later date after he’d cashed it - Josalind wasn’t in any kind of rush to obtain it but it had to be hers.

He stuttered over his words for a moment before making a face of unsureness, “A hundred?” he offered probably assuming that was a worthy price. Josalind stared at him thinking he was joking.

“Thousand?” she confirmed questioningly,“You meant a hundred thousand right?” confusion laced her tone as she stared at him causing him to choke on his champagne and stare at her in shock.

“I meant.. just one hundred dollars,” he said to her with wide eyes, “it’s really not worth that much,” he assured her while waving his hand slightly chuckling nervously.

Josalind looked into his eyes, “Listen to me closely, Jaebum. Your work should be worth thousands, honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted to put your work up for charity tonight because the money that this painting will make tonight alone could support your entire college career. You have unsurmounted talent, I’ll give you fifty thousand for this painting and I’ll mentor you,” she offered delicately trying not to scare him more than she already had. His heart would probably explode out of his chest if she offered him any more than she already was.

A sudden calm overtook him as he looked at her, “Under one condition,” he said to her as his champagne was refilled, she nodded for him to continue.

“You let me paint you,” those words - how they sounded so familiar.

“Let me paint you and I’ll do as you say, focus on my painting and feed you,” Jinyoung spoke with a small flirty smile curving his lips. Josalind seemed content with this though, and she claimed his lips with her own. Sealing the deal the only way she knew how.

“Consider it done,”

“Consider it done, do you want it directly wired to your bank or would you prefer a check?” she asked him with the stiffness now gone from her shoulders. “I can do either and have it to you by tomorrow, through direct deposit is much quicker - fewer loopholes as well,” her voice thoughtful as he gaped at her having not expected such a quick response; though he underestimated her desire to own this painting.

“Direct deposit is fine,” he spoke almost in shock of how much money she was paying for this single painting that he’d only done as an assignment. He didn’t understand how she could manage it, he knew she had to be much older than some of the vampires he’d seen on television but he wasn’t quite sure how old. “where are you from?”

Josalind looked up then flashed him a smile, “Well, Germany technically but it was only a Germanic territory at the time - it wasn’t a full country yet, I was raised in Greece though.” She told him with a small smile, “Ask, go ahead,” a small laugh escaped her.

“How old are you?” he seemed almost reluctant, and he cringed as it left his mouth and she sighed.

“Almost two thousand years old,” she murmured, “not quite, three years off,” making a face at the thought she sighed. Not looking a day over eighteen really didn’t make her feel any younger, her mentality really seemed to be more arrogant to those who were her age.

“Jesus,” he whispered shaking his head, “I didn’t know there were any.. that old,”

Josalind shrugged, “Not many people do, did you have a time or place you wanted to paint me?” she asked him curiously as she set her glass on a tray a waiter was holding. She continued to flip through the portfolio, she knew several people who would be more than happy to buy these paintings should he be okay with parting with them. He’d have more money than he knew what to do with, she could hear her maker’s voice in the back of her head - telling her not to play favorites with her food. Josalind couldn’t help it, he was an artist, and the raw talent that radiated off him did more than pique her intrigue.

“We can do it now if you have the time,” he said to her with a small smirk that forced her to think of anything but Jinyoung. It wouldn’t be the same, it couldn’t be - he wasn’t him and never would be.

Pushing the thought from her mind she gave him a nod, “We can use my painting room, I have the stuff to use for backdrops and such,” Josalind told him as she motioned for him to follow him. When they got to the door she collected her coat, “ I have several residences here in New York but I’ll take you to my studio, it has everything you could possibly need. What’s the biggest canvas you’ve used?”

His reply was somewhere around what she had expected, no more than thirty-six inches by twenty-four inches. Typical canvas size for a student in university, but to her, he was far from typical and she’d have him work on something only slightly bigger so he wasn’t intimidated. Walking to her car she greeted her driver and smiled then climbed into the backseat sliding over for him. “What are you working on in class right now?”

“Full body portraits with a nude model,” he spoke with a small smile, “it’s really not my strong point, at least I don’t think so,”

The way he spoke about his artistic abilities noted some self-confidence issues and she hoped to squash them before the night was through, “I’ve seen some of the nude paintings you’ve done in your portfolio - they’re remarkable, would like to continue practicing?” she asked him. Modeling naked for an artist was nothing new for her, she’d been a hell of a lot shyer back then, but now? It was nothing. Taking off her clothes and posing, or being posed felt like something ritualistic to her.

The way he was staring at her you’d think she had just propositioned him, “If you’re not comfortable with it that’s fine,” she chuckled as she crossed her legs letting the length of her dress fall comfortably over her legs.

“N-n-no! ” he laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, “I just wasn’t expecting… the offer is all,” looking like the picture of embarrassment she tried not to laugh but couldn’t help it. Humans were weird this way, she supposed she’d have been completely offended before but things changed. The rest of the ride was fairly quiet and she could tell he was nervous, but she didn’t know how to reassure him that she wouldn’t drain him dry. Surely bringing it up wouldn’t do much to settle his nerves, if anything it’d make it worse. When they arrived at her loft her driver opened her door for her and she climbed out thanking him quietly, she scanned her building card then waited for Jaebum to follow her inside.

“My art studio is my pride and joy, I’m better at sculpting though. Some of my work under the name of Ansell Beekman might ring a bell,” Josalind recalled as she got to the elevator.

“The Ansell Beekman? He was only the best sculptor in the sixteen hundreds,” he finally spoke up a look of disbelief crossed his features, “you’re Ansell Beekman?”

Josalind shook her head, “Ansell Beekman was my brother, I used his name so that he could go into history. He was a very talented sculptor. He made his own clay and made some of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen,” she felt her chest tighten at the memory of her brother. "Women back then weren’t allowed to have a voice much less a career in the arts, it was unheard of but I wanted to do what I wanted so I disguised myself as a man,“

Flicking on the lights in the loft she smiled, there was tarp surrounding her easel, "I’m not very skilled with liquid mediums but, I do love water paints,” she told him as she set her purse down on the kitchen island. “Make yourself comfortable, would you like something to eat or drink?” she asked him as she opened her fridge then looked at him over her shoulder.

“Water is fine,” Jaebum replied and a part of her felt like praising him like she did the others she fed on regularly. Keeping the people she fed on healthy was not something she took lightly, it had been just over a hundred years since she’d killed anyone by drinking too much and she’d be damned if she ever did it again. Spending the majority of the twenties draining or scaring the living daylights out of murderers, criminals and misogynists had been something of a pass time for her. If she hadn’t of caught up with Baekhyun she’d have gotten too bored, then who knows what kind of trouble she could have gotten into.

Josalind handed him the glass of ice water, “I have several blank canvases here,” she said as she took her heels off then padded over to the far side of the room. “I think this one would be good to use, help you focus on detail,” the offer to work on a forty by thirty-six canvas was huge. They weren’t cheap and usually the art done on those were famous portraits of royalty, and even then those were sometimes done on even bigger ones.

“These are amazing quality,” Jaebum voiced as he ran his fingers over the fabric, “This is too much,” he seemed unsure of how to accept her generosity and something told her he hadn’t had the opportunity to work with someone who knew his potential.

Josalind touched his arm gently, “Like I said before, your talent is unsurmounted, as your mentor it’s my job to make sure you do the best you can. Trust me,” the only thing she could do is stroke his ego till he believed her and she’d do that for as long as she had to. Josalind walked over to the white cabinet opening it, “There should be any and all paints you should need here, do you want me to wash my makeup off or leave it how it is?”

The way he looked at her then he suddenly seemed to be in a creative zone, “Wash it off,” the way his eyes gazed at her told her it wasn’t a request and a part of her felt inclined to deny his request out of habit. While he was setting up his space she went to the bathroom to wash her face off, makeup really did make her look more alive. The shadows and warmth added to her face made an incredible difference. She slid the dress off and placed a robe on before walking out to the living room, the spot he had set up for her was very nice.

“Sit here, lay back with your head on the pillow,” he said to her, “with the robe, set it across the back of the couch,” he was playing her mentally in his head and she knew she’d been right about him. It was good she could stay still for extended periods of time, she knew this would take several hours at best and at worst? It could take days, but once he had the outline he only needed memory to finish the rest. Though the thought of taking her clothes off for him to refresh his memory didn’t seem like such a bad thing in her books.

Slipping the robe off she set it across the back of the microfiber couch then proceeded to lay as he had directed. Jaebum walked over and gently grabbed her wrist laying her hand just above the swell of her breast. Her fingers touching the curvature of her flesh as she looked up at him, the look of concentration on her face slowly forcing her self-control to slip away. Seeing the creativity flow through an artist was something not many truly were able to see and it was intoxicating. Seeing the cogs in the machine truly at work, and the seamless transition from reality to art. His fingers adjusted her head so that it looked at him just so but it was tilted back as if she were in pleasure. “Part your lips,” he murmured softly just as his thumb grazed her mouth.

‘oh he is good,’ she thought to herself amused and did as he said - her eyes turning dark as he moved behind the pre-prepped canvas.

Keeping the expression he asked of her she watched him, she didn’t know how long she’d been watching him but after a while, he sighed then wet his lips. “Do you need to stretch or anything? I have the outline done,” he offered as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Are you cold?”

Josalind almost laughed but shook her head, “I’m fine,” she murmured, “can I see?” curious to see what he had accomplished. She looked at the clock two and half hours - not bad. Jaebum gave a nod of his head and she slowly sat up grabbing the robe, despite liking the feeling of his eyes on her she could tell that her being close to him in such a state would distract him. She tied it shut and walked over to the opposite side of the canvas, the outline seemed like a drawing almost - how had he done this with paints. It was magnificent. “Jaebum, this is beautiful,” her voice was soft in an appreciative way and she turned to look at him.

“You have a gift,” she assured him, “what will you do with it once it’s done?”

Jaebum stood behind her, and she could feel the heat radiating off of him. His heartbeat picking up slightly, “I haven’t decided yet, I might keep it,” he murmured so much closer than she had anticipated. Josalind pressed her back against his chest, she could hear his breath catch in his throat. He placed his hands on her waist, for someone so powerful, someone who could end his life in a second she felt so delicate under his touch. Bending his head he pressed his lips against her neck, and a small gasp escaped her the sensation of warm lips on her skin never failed to arouse her. It was the majority of the reason why vampires loved having sex with humans. The warmth they radiated was noticeable even in the smallest of amounts, during the middle of winter they were even warmer.

Her hand reached up as she tilted her head to give him access to her skin her back resting on him fully now as she ran her fingers through his hair. Jaebum nipped at the pale flesh of Josalind’s neck and she sighed in anticipation of what was to come. His nimble fingers pulled at the tie on her robe then pulled it from her shoulders letting it fall to the concrete flooring. Turning in his arms to face him pressing her lips to his gently as she cupped his face, a small smile curving her lips. He wasn’t scared of her if he was he wouldn’t already be half hard in his slacks. Even though fear and arousal were sometimes felt similarly, she could smell and taste the difference between them. Jaebum brought her body closer to him his fingers dipping down her waist and sliding down his backside squeezing the flesh before lifting her up so her legs wrapped around his waist.

“The bedroom is through there,” she whispered against his lips pointing to the double doors, he shoved the door open not bothering to shut it behind them. He was far too preoccupied with touching her and getting his own clothing off. He dropped Josalind on the edge of the bed and immediately she began to work on his belt tossing it to the side. Jaebum cursed when she looked up at him as she unbuttoned his slacks then palmed him through clothing causing his hips to jerk into her hand. He kicked his pants off then brought his mouth to hers again, wanting nothing more than to taste her lips again, her hands worked under his shirt which was already slightly unbuttoned untucking it and pulling it over his head. Pushing her back against the mattress he climbed over her his lips moving her neck and to the swell of her breasts. Jaebum’s hands moved over her waist, grinding his hips against her a low moan escaped him, the way her body felt against him was something like he’d never felt before.

“Calm down,” she whispered softly and he growled in the back of his throat moving to press her wrists back into the mattress. “Jaebum,” a small whine escaped her. His power over her wasn’t much but letting him believe he had control obviously stroked his ego enough. He removed his boxers and slowly pressed himself between her folds rutting his hips forward, moans escaped both of them at the delightful friction.

“Fuck,” he gasped as felt his cock slide against her soaked core, “You feel so good,” his voice almost broke into a whine and he pulled back before slowly easing his length into her warmth. A low moan escaped her as he filled her, the heat that soaked into her from his own flesh was relaxing and pleasurable. Sex with vampires never felt like this, he was much warmer than she was in an obvious way but the way men felt tucked neatly inside of her always got her off quicker than she wanted. With her superior strength, she rolled them over her hands coming down over his wrists with a small smile.

“My turn,” she whispered and began to move her hips on his. Moans escaped them both and she guided his hands to her breasts as she picked up her pace. Josalind could feel trickles of warmth inside of her, hints that he was probably close. With her hand, she reached between her legs rubbing frantically at her clit as her moans mounted and suddenly she saw stars. Jaebum’s hips bucked upwards into hers as he sought out his release and just as she was about to coax him through she felt him release inside of her. It was hot and she could feel it through her entire body almost. “fuck,” she whispered as her body slowly relaxed into his.

“May I?” she asked as her fingers brushed over his neck while he came down from his orgasm, and he nodded tilting his head to the side. Josalind didn’t need any more encouragement and she bit into his neck, another moan escaped him and as if he hadn’t just released into her his hips began rutting inside of her again. Josalind never was able to experience the euphoric sensation of being fed on by a vampire so she couldn’t relate to the feelings he felt. When she’d had enough she pulled back licking the bite mark on his neck then watched it heal into a faint scar before she began to roll her hips on him again. Allowing him to take over he rolled them over so he hovered over her, his hips slamming into her own as he searched for his release. Small mewls of pleasure escaped her, high from the taste of his blood. He was definitely A+ she thought to herself as she lifted her legs over his shoulders. Josalind preferred feeling men as deep as they could go, some would call it a kink but she called it common sense - it just felt better that way. Her body jerked as she came for the second time loud moans echoing off the bedroom walls as he came inside her with a strangled cry, probably not used to this type of stimulation. After a moment he rolled off her panting quietly, and she smiled a bit.

“It wasn’t my intention to do this,” she assured him and he chuckled as he moved so he could collect her in his arms. For a moment she froze, she didn’t cuddle after sex often - the only one who she cuddled was Youngjae and on occasion Jackson but they cuddled her. The last person she had cuddled up to in bed like this…was him. The only who plagued her memories more often than she liked to admit, though she felt pretty fucked up for comparing her to a man who left her almost seven hundred and twenty years ago. Jaebum was an entirely different person, coaxing herself to treat him as such would be difficult. Josalind could already feel herself opening up to him more than she had to anyone else since then, and it terrified her.

Kissing his cheek gently then kissing his lips softly she smiled, “Get some sleep, I’ll make you some breakfast when you wake,” she spoke softly as she pulled the blankets over them. She turned the heating blanket on low for his sake, besides she was plenty of warm as long as he was laying next to her.

Vampires don’t sleep. Well, that’s not entirely true. They rest or go into what looks like a comatose state but they’re highly aware of their surroundings, sneaking around vampires is incredibly difficult if you’re not a vampire already. Even then your specific scent could alert them without you meaning it to. Jaebum’s breathing pattern changed slightly, and she could tell he was slowly waking up so without hesitation she opened her eyes then climbed out of bed. Josalind walked into the bathroom to wash herself up a bit before pulling on her robe and padding into the kitchen to begin making him some food. High in protein and carbs lots of high energy foods - she also set up a few vitamins for him to take. B6, 9 and 12 as well as some iron to tell with the fatigue and exhaustion he was sure to feel today. This was the side effects of being fed on, and part of her worried she’d taken too much but his breathing was steady and his heartbeat normal.

“Josalind?” he murmured as he walked into the living area with just his boxers on and she flashed him a small smile.

“Do you want anything to drink?” she asked as she placed the omelet then began to add cream cheese to the bagel. She finished sauteing the veggies on the stove top then plated those next to his eggs. “Eat up, you’ll feel better with something on your stomach,”

Doing as he was told he watched her intently then began to eat the food and sighed, “This is so good? Are vampires good at everything?” he almost whined a little, sounding exasperated at the thought.

“No, not every but most things,” she teased as she poured him some coffee then set the creamer and sugar next to him. “I’ve been cooking for more than half my life, surely I’ve picked up a trick or two. Do you have plans for the day?” she asked him, hoping he’d say no. Josalind had so much she wanted to show him, she wanted him to be her’s and only her’s.

“Nope, I was gonna sleep in but you have so many windows the sun woke me up,” he admitted sheepishly and she nodded.

Josalind smiled, “Well I have some things I’d like to show you, I think you’ll like it. Once you’re dressed we can go,” she told him and he nodded almost eager. Josalind knew she was in too deep, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Something about him drew her in from the moment she met his eyes, and she knew she couldn’t let go.


	2. 02

Three years seemed like a long time to most people, but Josalind wished it would just slow down. Her birthday was rapidly approaching, something she’d like nothing more than to put a halt on. One more year for her felt like nothing, but it meant the inevitable; she was watching all the humans she held close to her die even if they were in perfect health. Josalind supposed this was part of the curse, you live forever but unless you make your friends like you they will die as well. The idea of turning everyone close to you wouldn’t bode well either, humans feed vampires and if everyone was turned… well there’d be little in the way of food. She doubted world full of starving vampires would go over well with what was left of the population at that point. 

“What do you want for your birthday?” Jaebum asked as he taped his fingers on his laptop his eyes lifting up to meet hers. Their relationship was fairly normal given the circumstances, she took care of him but he didn’t need her money. After that first night together all his paintings sold for nothing under twenty thousand dollars. Like she’d thought, he’d never want for anything in this world and what he did want or couldn’t afford she’d give it to him without hesitation.

Josalind shrugged unsure, “I don’t know, honestly, I have everything I want or need,” she murmured thoughtfully then smiled at him as she thought of something. He’d been looking at shelters online for a while, and she knew he had an adoration for cats. 

“Wait,” He looked up wondering what she could have possibly thought of in that short span of time, he sometimes forgot how she managed to think of about fifty things at once, “What is it?” he questioned with a small smile tugging at his lips. 

“Why don’t we get a cat, you’ve been wanting one and I wouldn’t mind a little company when you’re away in the city for school,” she offered as she looked at him, “We could swing that right?” Josalind looked at him hopefully, cats were one of the few creatures she didn’t mind. Over the centuries she owned numerous pets, she had dogs, cats, birds, even a hamster in the mid fifties, ducks and so on. Cats just seemed to like her more than any animal she’d ever owned in her life.

Though in the human world getting a cat together seemed to be a right of passage in relationships, and the way his eyes lit up at the idea made her feel warm inside. He looked at her, “You want to get a cat for your birthday?” he asked in awe than scrambled off the bed grabbing her around the waist and pressing kisses against her face in quick succession making her giggle as she flattened her hands on his chest. 

“You’re so..” he didn’t continue speaking, because she knew that he knew she was doing this, almost entirely, for him. 

Jaebum pressed his lips against hers then sighed, “When can we go?” he asked her, “we need to go to the store to get things first."Shopping for cat supplies had never really crossed her mind, but Josalind knew it had to happen. Walking through a supermarket hand in hand - they looked like an everyday young couple with the intent of getting a pet together. When she swiped her card the woman eyed her nervously, it wasn’t uncommon for people to just know what she was. Vampires seemed to have an air about them that was different than humans and when people started to pick up on it; they began to avoid her. When they got to the shelter, they were led to the cat room where there were several pairs of cats that got along better than most. 

"These two are cute,” he murmured as he sat on the floor where nearly all of the cats approached him and she smiled taking a spot next to him. A kitten probably around four months old crawled into her lap then plopped down, purring. It was black with white feet and yellow eyes. Josalind stroked it’s fur and scratched behind its ears then looked at Jaebum. 

“You like them? I like this one,” she admitted. 

He chuckled, “are we getting three cats today?” he asked her softly with a look of amusement. “We haven’t even found the right food for them yet,”

Josalind shook her head, “I’ve got that under control, a specialist is coming tomorrow and I grabbed some of the food they’re being fed here for the time being,” she told him softly. 

“three cats? Thats a lot of responsibility,"Jaebum thought about it then nodded, "We can do it though,” he murmured as he kissed her softly.

“Wish we could take them all,” he pouted to himself, “but three is a good start,” the entire process went smoothly, and before she knew it they were releasing their new cats into their bedroom. 

“Happy birthday,” he murmured against her ear kissing her neck softly as they watched the cats explore their new territory. Josalind loved how they seemed to settle right in, she knew then that they were the perfect fit for their home by how they seemed to just accept that this was it. Their home. For so long she’d always called it her’s. The thought of sharing these kinds of moments with him forever seemed like a dream, a small smile curved her lips as she leaned back into him soaking in his warmth.

Shopping had never really been something she liked, it took up a lot of time and with how serious people took fashion these days it was no wonder any worth anything just had something made for them. Josalind walked into the small fashion outlet Double B and smiled as she saw some of her own art lining the walls, “Bam, where are you?” she called from the front of the shop as she made her way around the back.

“I’m here,” he spoke as he came out with multiple types of fabric hung over his shoulder and a smile gracing his lips, “Looking as radiant as ever,” he grinned at her and kissed her cheek to which she rolled her eyes. He was always the charmer, when she’d met him he was a college flunk out with no idea what the hell he wanted to do, but she took one look at his sketches and knew his name was going to go places. 

“Have you thought of anything for my dress?” she asked him curiously as she looked at him and he nodded, motioning for her to follow him to the stairs so they could go to the loft where he did the majority of his work. His living space was covering in scraps of fabric, but she knew his chaos had a system so she didn’t dare say anything. Bambam was talented when it came to sewing and drawing up designs, she knew that once people realized his talents; he’d be unstoppable. 

He grabbed her attention by showing her exactly what he had made, “I already had your measurements so I took the liberty,” he spoke with a small smile, “Black is your color, but because it’s your birthday and not your funeral,” the deep red color also suited her, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d dressed her in something similar. The dress would fit every curve of her body, with off shoulder top that had fabric hung over to give a more voluminous look to her breasts. Not that she was lacking in the area, but she’d never say no to more. 

“This is beautiful,” she murmured softly as she ran her fingers over it, “It’s nice, what’s it made of?”

“Normal stuff, stretchy but not, cotton, and some spandex mixed material but I lined the inside with silk for your pleasure,” he teased as he looked at her, “And this tie for Jaebum so he matches you, if he even bothers to wear it. Really Josalind, we could have been a power couple but you went for the troubled artist, instead of me,” he pouted as she took the tie from him making her smile then kissing his cheek.

Josalind let out a small sigh, “You’ll always have special place in my heart, love,” she teased him and he whined as he began to finish off the dress with the last few stitches before taking it off the mannequin that was shaped after her. "You’ll be there tonight, right?“ she inquired as he hung the dress then placed a plastic bag over the hanger, clipping the tie to the dress so she didn’t lose it. 

"I wouldn’t miss it, without you…Double B wouldn’t exist,” he murmured with a thankful smile, “Besides this will probably be the only two thousandth birthday I’ll ever attend in my entire life, I’d be insane to miss the party of the century… literally.”

Josalind snorted a little, “Good, I’ll see you there,” she said to him as she pushed a hand through her hair and he grabbed her arm. 

“Do you need to feed?” he asked her softly, and her fangs ached at the thought. As much as Jaebum hated it, she needed to feed on others to survive; his blood just wasn’t enough. He could only sustain her once a month, twice maximum and that alone was pushing it. 

Josalind gave a small nod and he hung the dress on a rack before motioning for her to follow him, “Take what you need,” he murmured as he grabbed a towel then took his shirt off so it didn’t stain. Without much provocation she leaned in sinking her fangs into his neck moaning at the taste her body pressing his against the counter as she took enough to sate her needs. Reluctantly, she pulled away then licked the wound sealing it as if it’d never been there, there had been several studies on why humans were affected by the bite of vampires. Mostly it was assumed that because they needed humans to survive it’d be counterproductive if they were in pain while being fed on.

Josalind gave him an apologetic look and he waved it off, “I have someone, don’t worry,” he chuckled a little. Though he couldn’t deny he had enjoyed their time together a lot, he knew that she loved Jaebum and Jaebum might actually kill him if he found out they had sex after their talk. 

“Who are they?” she asked him curiously as she cleaned her mouth off with a warm rag then fixed her lipstick. 

Bambam smiled, “she’s nice, she said she knows you though,” he furrowed his brow, “She works at the museum,” he said her name and Josalind nodded with a look of recognition at the scent that lingered on him.

“She’s really sweet,” she agreed with a nod, “Be good to her, or you’ll have me to deal with,” she threatened with a teasing smile then sighed, “I have to go before I’m late but I’ll see you tonight, bring her with you!” walking out of the store she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Being hungry was never good, especially when you were about to host an event that humans were bound to be present at. 

Over the two millennia she’d been alive she’d met a massive range of people, some who loathed and some who loved humans, and then there were some who hated their own kind. Those times had been the worst. Vampires working with humans to destroy the beings who had more than likely ruined their lives, purposefully killing families to leave one alive. Josalind never said that vampires were good, even now she had the fear that something would go wrong and she’d end up in hiding again. The party was in full swing by the time she arrive, kissing the cheeks of vampires she’d met throughout the ages then smiling happily when she saw Jaebum approach her. He kissed her softly on the lips making her sigh, “you look nice,” she murmured straightening his jacket, she had wanted a small casual event but Yixing set it up to seem like a black tie event almost. 

“You look beautiful,” he murmured kissing her again making her grin against his lips, “did Bam make this?” Jaebum seemed enthralled by the dress that hugged her body, his hands going to her waist. Josalind nodded and he muttered something under his breath, something about thanking him later which made her roll her eyes. The decorations were top notch, and something told her that Yixing or Baekhyun didn’t do it themselves despite how much they bragged about them; neither of them were the decorating type.

“We gathered some aesthetics from Greece, even if it’s not quite as dated as it should be for your particular era it’s close enough, right?” Baekhyun asked with a small smile curving his lips, he was always the little brother you never wanted. Complaining, and loud in general - he was born before the world was ready for him. Full of ambition and no care for how others lived their lives; only lived in the moment, which is what saved their lives back when he was human. Josalind had only said it out loud once, but she owed Baekhyun her life, back when he was new and not many people knew why either. Despite his pestering, like a true brother, they were actually quite close.

“It’s fine, it’s a little…Hollywood Greek but it’s okay,” she laughed weakly as she looked at the pillars that looked like something out of a Disney movie, but they were cute so she didn’t mind too much. In fact she had found herself drawn to animation films since they were created; sleeping beauty having been her favorite seemed to shock no one. 

Across the room she eyed a vampire she hadn’t seen in over a hundred years, “I’ll be back,” she murmured to Jaebum kissing his jaw gently before making her way over to him. 

“Marcus, it’s been a while,” she flashed him a small smile and he kissed the back of her hand gently.

He sighed, “I wish I was here for the actual party but, I must tell you something important,” he said to her honestly as he held the glass of artificial blood. Josalind never took him for one to settle for the fake drink, but some had no choices. She remembered his lack of self control, and how it damn near ended his life there for a while, his maker was in blood rage when Marcus was created; she figured this was why his lack of control ruled him so completely. 

“What is it?” concerned for her friend she wet her lips then looked over at Jaebum who was watching her closely, always looking for a moment to protect her if she needed it even though she was a thousand times stronger than he’d ever be. 

“It’s Jinyoung, he is killing again. Rampantly,” he told her firmly, “in the last two weeks he’s killed eight people, draining them dry like he hasn’t eaten in a century or more, but we both know that’s not true,” her expression turned solemn at the mention of his name. He was right, Jinyoung never had self control when it came to feeding; it was like he was trying to make himself known but after all this time she couldn’t think of a reason why he would do that.

“We’re powerful, Josalind! We don’t need human approval, we could kill them all if we wanted to and they couldn’t do a damn thing to stop us ,” Jinyoung grinned manically as he looked at her and cupped his makers face, brushing his lips against her own. “We could make the world ours, I’m tired of hiding and only taking what I need, I want more,” he growled against her lips as he pressed his fingers into the flesh of her neck. 

A soft whimper escaped her and she nodded, “We’ll rule the world, a queen by my side,” he murmurs gently as he lays her on the bed. 

“And a king by mine,” she relents, wanting nothing more than allow him the happiness he so craved. Life had been so cruel to Jinyoung, but death.. no Death would never be his ruler, for he’d rule on his own. 

“What am I supposed to do, Marcus?” Josalind asked sighing as she looked at her hands, there was only so much she could do. Report him to the high court, and let them know everything that had transpired. She’d receive no punishment for his leaving, she had witness accounts of her looking for her made; for two hundred years she spent time searching for him. Only to turn up empty handed, though a couple times she’d come close. Trailing in on his scent, only for it to fizzle out later on. After a while, her love for him died, as did her concern for his well being. A king never abandoned his queen, he played her like a child would his toys and she’d never fall victim to him again. 

“A lot of us think you should confront him, put an end to his childish behavior… you are his maker, Josalind,” Marcus spoke honestly and she nodded in agreement. It seemed like the best course of action, but she hadn’t seen Jinyoung in over six hundred years. Her heart ached, remembering just how hurt she’d been when he’d left her - how weak she’d felt. It took a long time for her to feel useful again, and that’s when she gave up the ways of being a vampire and forced more human interactions within society. 

With a reluctant nod Josalind sighed, “I’ll handle him, and soon, once I’m back from my vacation with Jaebum,” she assured him, “In the meantime I’ll file a report with the high court so they can seek him out as well to put an end to his murdering until I return. I’ve left him unsupervised for far too long,” part of her knew it wouldn’t be just that easy to handle Jinyoung, he was always a bit complicated and never happy with how things were; always the trouble maker. Specifically more so when she made him, while he was human he was reserved and almost shy. 

Returning to Jaebum’s side she assured him everything was fine, enjoying the party till the wee hours of morning until Jaebum complained that he was tired. After making sure he was asleep she curled into his frame sighing a little; Jinyoung, what are you up to? A vacation get away for the both of them was something they did a couple of times a year, she took it as a chance for him to see pieces of art he wouldn’t otherwise, and for her it was a way to see how her previous homes had changed over the years. 

However, this year they were on the Santorini islands, and they were just as beautiful as she remembered; her heart would be singing if she were alive. Greece had always been home to her, they’d moved there as a family when she was just four years old. Before the war, and before everything changed; before she died. Jaebum was asleep in their bed, and she was stood on the balcony of their hotel room, the infinity pools filter humming in the background the only thing letting her know just how far into the future she had come. Defying all odds. She should have been dead ages ago, but now she had the love of her life sleeping in the room behind her, but her thoughts ran rampant. Josalind knew she loved Jaebum, but she wanted him for herself. She’d known for a while she wanted no one but him, and she knew what she had to do - it was a little backwards and not very traditional but she was sure he’d be okay with it. 

A small smile curved her lips and she sighed taking a deep breath in afterwards, her closed eyes shooting open when she caught a scent she hadn’t smelled in over a hundred years. “Jinyoung,” she whispered and turned around to see him standing there with an impish smile curving his lips. He stepped forward and she took one back, she didn’t trust him, she’d be just as crazy as he was if she did. 

_______________________  
“Your crops are failing,” she spoke to him softly as she brushed some hair out of his eyes, he was due for a haircut, she could fix it after their deal. Transfixed on his handsome features, “I can support you, but you must do something in return for me,"Jinyoung was trembling, he looked terrified. Surely, he’d heard of her kind and how they killed people without remorse, but she didn’t want to kill him. No, that’d be a waste and Josalind didn’t throw away things that were useful.

"What is it?” he asked her, fear lacing his tone but something else shown in his eyes.

"Feed me,“ she shrugged as if it was nothing big, "I drink from you, and in return you can practice your arts; I’ll pay for anything you need in the way of food to art supplies.” This seemed to peak his interest as he slowly began to relax.

"That’s it?“ most people had the wrong idea about vampires. Of course, she knew more than her fair share who killed anyone who crossed their path, but she couldn’t - not him.

"That’s it,” Josalind assured him then rested her forehead against his, “Whats do you say?”

He nodded, “I agree to your terms,” he whispered and her lips crushed onto his, and she swore she’d never tasted anything sweeter than his lips on hers. After that his hands seemed eager, to have a mind of their own. He pulled at her robes and in an instant her fangs sank into the flesh of his neck a moan escaping her as she clutched her body to his.  
_______________________

 

Her hands placing his on her body, the best way to seal a deal was with that of physical intimacy. “Leave, Jinyoung,” Josalind speaks as her mind comes back to her, she realizes how close he is and pushes him away from her with shake of her head, “You’ve been causing issues, I’m on vacation." 

He chuckled a little, "You’ve never played with your food before, though… I suppose times do change,” he said with a small nod of his head, “You’re still so beautiful, I’ve missed you.”

Josalind made a sound of distaste as she turned away from him to stare out into the waters, how had he even found her? “I played with you didn’t I?” she muttered softly as she turned to look at him, he was still handsome - she’d be an idiot to deny it. He looked the same, except his hair was a little cleaner and he looked a little more mature with his clothing; basic button up and slacks. 

Jinyoung shook his head with a small smile, “No, you married me,” he said to her quirking a brow and licked his lips. 

“And you left, so that turned out well, didn’t it?” Josalind retorted as she poured herself some of the synthetic blood then took a large drink of it, “Why are you here, Jinyoung?” she finally asked, just wanting to get this over with. 

Over six hundred years and suddenly he was here like he actually gave a shit about her, she was feeling bitter - but she felt she was just in those emotions. 

Jinyoung didn’t speak for sometime, and she wondered if he was just playing games because she was really getting tired of it. “I want you back,” he finally spoke, he sounded confident. Like he knew exactly how this was going to play out, as if she’d run into his arms and they’d go slaughter people into the sunset like a psychotic couple they had been before. 

“I think you have me mixed up with someone who gives a shit what you want, Jinyoung.” Josalind laughed a little and shook her head, “You left, you didn’t come back and you actively avoided me for over hundred years. You don’t get what you want, I’ll take credit though. I was a pretty shit maker, and you deserved better.” she never forgave herself for letting him lead her astray, for letting him succumb to his baser needs - letting herself become a primal mess and serial killer.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, too shocked to move away quickly he looked her in the eyes, “We’re too powerful to be hidden in the dark like that, to be registered like we’re some kind of purebred dog,” he spat as he looked at her, “We’re above them in every way - you knew it then too, don’t pretend you didn’t,”

“What we did was wrong, Jinyoung,” she spoke firmly pushing him off of her and removing his hands from her body, he hadn’t been like this before - when he was human. She had been his first everything, first kiss, first intimate experience. He’d been so innocent before, innocent gasps at everything she’d done or showed him when it came to arts on canvas as well as arts of the body. 

Jinyoung moved to touch her face but she swerved away from him, “We’re meant to have what we want, why else would we have been made?” he questioned her, as if suddenly it would all click for her - but she was only disgusted. 

“This is my fault, Jinyoung, we’re powerful but we’re not meant to take until there is nothing left. That mindset would get us all killed; you need to leave now,” there was no room for argument in her tone, he knew then that she was done speaking with him. At least for now. He took his leave, leaving her quite shaken from the encounter. So much time had passed since she’d seen him, for him to act that way; to still hold such a outdated mindset of superiority confused her. 

“Babe?” Jaebum’s sleepy voice pulled her attention from her thoughts, “who were you talking to?"Josalind set her glass down and walked over to him.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you… my made showed up,” she whispered softly, “we had a small argument is all,” she only hoped she could assure him that everything was okay. He could read her well, not many people besides her maker could do that - and he seemed to do so with minimal effort. Though, to be fair she had a difficult time hiding anything from him. 

“Jinyoung?” he asked furrowing his brow, he knew that he had left her a long time ago but he didn’t know the details of their relationship with him and he never thought to press her for answers either. 

Josalind nodded, “I feel like… he’ll be back and I want you to know everything, I met him around the year 1340,” she murmured gently as she remembered the timid era and how she’d adored it more than most. "He was a failing farmer, and so I supported him promoting his art - “

"Art?” he furrowed his brow and a small smile curved his lips as he looked at her with a knowing smile.

She sniffed a little, “We all have our vices, Jaebum, mine just happens to be troubled artists,” she pouted at him and he nodded for her to continue her story. 

“I fed off him and supported him for whatever he needed, it went well for a while but… the plague,” she whispered softly closing her eyes.

"Was it bad?“ Jaebum asked, he’d learned about it in history but the severity of it was never truly covered, or at least not explained in a way that would make someone understand. 

Josalind swallowed hard, "It was bad, very bad. Vampires and humans alike were starving to death, crops were failing, people were dying so not enough people were tending to crops. When I returned from my other feeder, Jinyoung was down with a fever and he was obviously ill with the plague.. so I offered to turn him."It was hard for her to remember things back then, it seemed simpler but she’d risked so much just by making offers to possible feeders. If they ever refused her she would have to kill them, and she never wanted to kill people; ever. 

"We were fine for a year or so but he got tired of hiding, of running,” she told him honestly, “and he told me we’re powerful, Josalind we could rule the world, I believed him.” her head hung in disappointment at the things she’d done. The things she’d never wanted Jaebum to know about her, “We killed a lot of people, Jae, I… I let him lead me astray and it was my fault those people are dead,"He seemed in shock because he couldn’t meet her eye but he couldn’t say a word to her either, he looked up at her finally - that fear in his eyes. She’d seen it in so many eyes before, but she never wanted to see it in his. 

"Please.. don’t look at me like that,” she begged him softly as she reached to touch him but she saw it; the flinch. “Baby, I’d never hurt you.. ever,” she spoke confidently as she looked at him with a serious expression on the verge of tears, red welling up around her eyes. 

“How could you do it? All those people,” he whispered softly, and the guilt she felt was magnified by his disgust of her.

"I don’t know, Jae. I’m not that person anymore, I could never do that again. I don’t want to hurt people,“ she assured him and hesitantly his hand reached out to grab her own. "I love you, I’d never hurt you - you have to know that,"He nodded a little then looked at her, there was understanding but the fear wasn’t totally erased. Josalind figured it’d be good to not feed on him for a while, at least till his fear subsided. 

"I know you won’t, I love you too,” he whispered softly his fingers lacing with her own. 

“Lets go to bed?” Josalind stood up and pulled him gently with her to their bedroom, and she fell into bed with him. He kissed her sweetly stroking her cheek, “I forget sometimes,” he whispered gently, “that you weren’t always so docile,”

“I wish I didn’t have to tell you all the bad parts of me,” Josalind whispered as she kissed him affectionately. 

Jaebum shook his head, “I love every part of you, especially the one that doesn’t keep things from me.” he murmured and she nodded, “No more secrets?”

“No more secrets,” she agreed and he pulled her cool body against his warm one and she swore it felt like home in his arms as she inhaled his scent. He was hers, and nothing had changed though she wished she could slow down the worry in his heart, and she wished his heart was racing because he loved her and not because he was scared.


End file.
